Strasbourg, 26 September 2013 - The Council of Europe’s expert body on trafficking in human beings, GRETA, has called on the Irish authorities to ensure that all victims of trafficking are identified as such and provided with assistance and protection.

In its first report on Ireland, which was published today, GRETA underlines that several important steps have been taken by the authorities in recent years – including the adoption of anti-trafficking legislation, a comprehensive action plan and the creation of specialised bodies.

However, there is a need to further involve NGOs and other parts of civil society in drawing up and implementing anti-trafficking policy, including by giving them a formal role in identifying victims. GRETA asks the Irish authorities to ensure that the accommodation and other services available are adapted to the specific needs of victims of trafficking.

The Irish authorities should also strengthen efforts to tackle trafficking for labour exploitation, as well as improving prevention and protection measures concerning children.

The report stresses that gaps in the procedure for identifying victims, together with a low conviction rate for trafficking-related offences, may mean that the true scale of the problem is underestimated.

The report, which includes comments from the Irish authorities, is available here [link]